100 Favorite Dishes: Lacquered Chinese Duckling at Five Sixty

As a countdown to the Dallas Observer's "Best of Dallas" 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others can be eaten on the cheap, but all are delicious to the extreme. Don't hesitate to share your own nominations in the comments. More of the dish's tasty details are after the jump.

No. 53: Lacquered Chinese Duckling at Five Sixty

High above the city, overlooking the traffic and bright lights of downtown Dallas, sits perfectly perched Five Sixty, the Wolfgang Puck addition to the Dallas restaurant scene. The atmosphere is all glamor and always moving with its ever-rotating view of the Dallas skyline. The view is only usurped by the talented executive chef, Sara Johannes, who makes the best duckling that can be found in Dallas.

The lacquered duck is tenderly rendered and roasted and lacks the oiliness often associated with duck. The beautiful bird is treated with seasonal fruits, and recently we found the Bing cherry port wine sauce served with a nest of lo mein noodles to provide a perfect savory balance that tricked our senses into nothing short of the other-worldliness.

In the City of Ate, this duck flies an altitude of 560 feet, and we are in our up-right position to enjoy this dish again and again.